Golf notebook: Leffew, Sposato, Foster shine at junior event

contributed photo
Cole Sposato (left) and Jake Leffew (center) of Vero Beach and Ryan Lynch of Boynton Beach, show off the hardware they won at last weekend's Palm Beach Junior Challenge at Binks Forest Golf Club in Wellington. Leffew won the boys 15-18 division after beating Lynch in a one-hole playoff. Sposato finished in a tie for third place.

Jake Leffew and Cole Sposato finished atop the leaderboard at the Hurricane Junior Golf Tour's Palm Beach Junior Challenge last Saturday and Sunday at the Binks Forest Golf Club in Wellington.

Leffew, a Vero Beach High School sophomore, won the boys 15-18 division, shooing 158 (78-80) to tie in regulation, then defeated Boynton Beach's Ryan Lynch with par on the first playoff hole.

Sposato finished in a two-way tie for third after shooting 160 (80-80).

Hobe Sound's Hannah Foster finished in fourth place in the girls 11-14 division, shooting a 186 for two days.

IRGF JUNIORS

Leffew is scheduled to tee it up again Saturday at the Indian River Golf Foundation's Atlantic Junior Golf Team Series at the Santa Lucia River Club in Port St. Lucie.

The tournament goes from 1 to 6 p.m. for the various age groups and you can register online at www.irgf.org. Entry is $25 for 18 holes or $15 for 9 holes.

SFPGA JUNIORS

The South Florida PGA's Junior Challenge Tour, presented by the Honda Classic, opens its 2013 season Saturday and Sunday at Club Med in Port St. Lucie.

The 36-hole stroke play event begins at 9 a.m. both days. There are three age divisions for boys and girls: 12-13, 14-15, 16-18.

THE BING AWARD

Besides Tiger Woods' commitment, the other Honda Classic news this week was the tournament is the recipient of the Bing Crosby Tournament Sponsor Award.

The Bing goes to an individual or (in this case) an organization "that promotes and supports the game of golf through commercial sponsorship of quality events."

An avid golfer, tournament sponsor and tour supporter, Crosby died in 1977.

The award was established in his name in 1978

Honda Classic officials will pick up the award at the Metropolitan Golf Writers Association's awards dinner on June 18 in Tarrytown, N.Y.

CLASSIC COMING

The Honda Classic is Feb. 25-March 3 at PGA National Resort and Spa in Palm Beach Gardens.

Advance ground passes are $20 for Tuesday's practice round, $30 for Wednesday's pro-am and $40 for Thursday through Sunday rounds.

Call 866-846-6328 for tickets.

For tickets at the gate, add $10 to above costs.

A weekly value pack is $125 and includes daily ground passes.

If you are driving a Honda, you can park free in the general lot.

Daily parking is $10, weekly parking is $50. Shuttles will run from the parking lots to the Champion Course

Chris Wood scored a hole-in-one on Feb. 7 at Fairwinds. She dropped her shot in on the 85-yard, No. 11 hole, using a pitching wedge against a stiff breeze. The feat was witnessed by Diane Miller, Noreen Hayes and Rita Silvia.

Fairwinds also gave up a hole-in-one on Feb. 6 to Jeanne Fisher. She aced the No. 5 hole, playing at 105 yards, using a 6-hybrid. Robert Fisher, Art and Sharon Smith will attest to the ace.

Palm Cove golfers also scored a couple of recent aces.

Sue Zukawski scored a "1" on Feb. 5, at Palm Cove's 76-yard, No. 2 hole. It was a perfect shot with a pitching wedge.

On Feb. 5, Don Alvarez scored a hole-in-one on the 140-yard, No. 17 hole at Palm Cove. He swung a 7-iron for his perfect shot

Tom Pesavento posted an ace at the Yacht and Country Club on Feb. 3. Pesavento used a 5-hybrid club to ace the 170-yard, No. 17 hole.

There were two holes-in-one at Miles Grant. Jack Cecil dropped one in on Feb. 4 and Clyde Wilson scored one on Feb. 1.